Comparison

Notes, Notepad & Memo vs Simple Notes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Notes, Notepad & Memo

This app helps you organize your life with notes, lists, and reminders. It features intuitive swipe gestures for task management, one-tap reminders, and folder organization. Sync your notes across devices and export them in various formats.

Highlights
  • Swipe gesture for list management
  • One-tap and repeating reminders
  • Organize with folders and shortcuts
  • Dropbox sync across devices
  • Export notes to PDF, email, and text
  • Full-text search and word count
Features
Read full description

Organize your life with notes + lists + reminders. **SPECIAL** Install now for 6 free fonts & themes! ⁕ Apple - Best New App ⁕ MacLife - "Stunning. Raises the bar for all others in its class." ⁕ CNET - "I can tell that the developers put extra thought into UpWord Notes." DESCRIPTION ----------------- It's how notes on iOS should work. A unique swipe-gesture manages task lists and adds formatting in a snap. One-tap reminders ensure that you revisit a note later. Folders & favorites keep you organized, while Dropbox syncs notes between devices. Once you see how productive your everyday notes can be, you'll wonder how you lived without UpWord! FEATURES ------------- • Swipe List: efficiently create lists, cross off as done, and highlight as important, all with a swipe • One-Tap Reminders: faster than ever to save a note or task for later, includes repeating reminders • Repeating reminders* • Organize with folders & shortcuts* • Sync notes across devices with Dropbox • Optimized for iPhone AND iPad (universal) • Save to Evernote • Multi-level undo & redo • Multiple font sizes • Cloud backup, version control, and retrieve deleted notes via Dropbox sync (all free) • Opens straight to a new note to capture ideas faster (turn on in "Settings") • TextExpander support • Markdown preview mode • Full-text search (titles & note contents) • Word count • Export to pdf, email, text, or even facebook/twitter • Landscape typing • Full suite of x-url-callback actions • Night mode, for typing in the dark • Link mode makes phone #'s and website url's tappable • Sort files by chronological or alphabetical order • Archive keeps your workspace clean without permanently deleting • TaskPaper features like @done, tab swipes, and .taskpaper extensions ** For the tech-savvy who were wondering, UpWord uses UTF-8 encoded plain-text with Unix style line breaks. Our plain-text files will work with any modern text editor, so there's no format lock-in. * In-app purchases: Almost all of UpWord is available without charge (free!). The following features are unlocked via IAP: bonus themes/fonts/sounds, repeating reminders, shortcuts, syncing shortcuts & reminders, passcode lock

About

Simple Notes

This app offers a clean and efficient way to organize your thoughts and ideas. Easily add images, organize notes into colored folders, and secure your entries with a passcode. Customize the look with various themes and fonts, and back up your data to iCloud.

Highlights
  • Add photos to notes
  • Organize with colored folders
  • Calendar view for notes
  • Passcode and biometric lock
  • Customizable themes and fonts
  • iCloud backup and sync
  • Smart search with tags
Features
Read full description

Simple Notes is an easy-to-use notes app that leaves out the extras, so writing, organizing, and finding notes stay simple. Notes go into color-coded folders, and you can find them using the calendar or photo album. No account or setup is required, and the app works offline. Core features are free. Keep everything in one place, from class notes and work memos to a diary or baby journal. [Features] ■ Add Photos to Notes - Attach images to any note - Insert pictures from your photo library, or take a photo on the spot ■ Folder Organization - Create folders to keep your notes organized - Choose from 24 folder colors to tell categories apart at a glance ■ Calendar View - View notes by date using the built-in calendar - Tap any date to see notes for that date — perfect for locating past entries ■ Photo Album - Browse all images added to notes in one place - Tap a photo to jump to its note ■ Home Screen & Lock Screen Widgets - Keep a note on your Home Screen like a sticky note — no need to open the app - Lock Screen widgets let you see a note without unlocking your iPhone - Choose which note to display and its text size *Widgets are part of the Premium Service* ■ Sort Notes & Bullet Lists - Sort by note date, date edited, date created, or title, ascending or descending - Bullet lists make it easy to write shopping and packing lists ■ Passcode Lock - Protect your notes with a passcode - Supports Face ID and Touch ID for quick and secure access ■ Font Styles - Choose from 12 font styles - Choose a playful, elegant, or professional look for your notes ■ Themes and App Icons - Pick from 23 theme colors and matching app icons - Customize the look of the app and even the Home Screen icon ■ Full-Note Image & PDF - Turn an entire note, even a long one with photos, into a single image to share - Export notes as PDFs for work or school ■ Data Backup & Export - Back up your notes to iCloud or export them to your computer - Hand exported notes to AI apps for summaries, or save them to Notion or Google Drive - Export formats: HTML (for Windows), RTFD (for Mac, keeps images), PDF, and TXT *Data export and iCloud backup are part of the Premium Service; notes are also included in your iPhone’s device backup* ■ iCloud Sync - Use iCloud to sync notes across your iPhone and iPad (Premium Service) - Restore your notes on a new device if yours is lost or broken ■ Smart Search - Use the built-in search to quickly find notes - Add text tags like “#Important” to make key notes easier to locate ■ Character Count - Check the character count as you write reports, essays, or fiction - Each note can hold up to 100,000 characters ■ Text Display Settings - Adjust text size, contrast, and line spacing - Ideal if you prefer larger text or need better readability - Dark Mode is supported for nighttime use ■ Remove Ads - The Premium Service hides all ads - Enjoy a clean, distraction-free screen for your notes [Great For] - Students: class and lecture notes with photos, one folder per course — export notes as PDF or text and hand them to AI apps for exam prep - Parents: a baby journal with photos, growth records, and family memos in folders - Work: meeting notes, ideas, and memos in one place — tap the mic on the iOS keyboard to dictate notes, handy for transcripts and meeting minutes - Writers: novels, blog drafts, and reports — live character count and PDF sharing [Good to Know] - Works on iPhone and iPad (iOS/iPadOS 14 or later) - Works offline — create and view notes even in Airplane Mode - No handwriting inside notes or audio recording (write on exported images and PDFs) [Help & Contact] - For help, go to “Help / FAQ” in the app settings - If you still have questions, tap “Contact Us” on the help screen - For faster support, contact us through the app rather than leaving an App Store review 【Terms of Service】 https://komorebi-studio.com/tos_en.html 【Privacy Policy】 https://komorebi-studio.com/policyredirect.html

Screenshots

Notes, Notepad & Memo4 screens
Simple Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Notes, Notepad & Memo at none against Simple Notes's shown. Notes, Notepad & Memo also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 791). Simple Notes's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Notes, Notepad & Memo sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simple Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.5K and 791 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Notes, Notepad & Memo's written reviews are positive against 87% of Simple Notes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notes, Notepad & Memo ships an update every 5 weeks, Simple Notes every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Notes, Notepad & Memo versus Simple Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotes, Notepad & MemoSimple Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2.5K ratings)4.7 (791 ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.5% of reviews87.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.5K — better791
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB216 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCurious Creators Co.Komorebi Inc.

Customer experience

Notes, Notepad & Memo

All ratings2,477 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral3.4%
Negative7.2%
Written reviews1,035 reviews
Positive82.5%
Neutral5.6%
Negative11.9%

Simple Notes

All ratings791 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews125 reviews
Positive87.2%
Neutral5.6%
Negative7.2%

User reviews

Notes, Notepad & Memo

From 2.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Helpful for organization
  • 💡 Useful for lists and notes
  • 🎨 Customizable colors and fonts

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🔒 Sync and backup issues
  • ⚠️ Outdated and not updated
  • 💰 Aggressive upselling of premium features

Simple Notes

From 791 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 📁 Folder organization and color-coding
  • 🔒 Password protection
  • 💡 Useful for school and work notes
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Lack of iCloud sync
  • 📐 Limited formatting options (no bold, italics, etc.)
  • 🎨 Default folder color cannot be changed
  • 🔍 No alphabetical sorting for folders

Bugs and requests

Notes, Notepad & Memo

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Notes disappearing or getting scrambled
  • Syncing problems with Dropbox and other services
  • Frequent crashes and app instability
  • Settings and preferences not saving properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to attach photos
  • Improve offline functionality
  • Provide better customer support
  • Implement more customization options

Simple Notes

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • No local PC backup and restore feature
  • UI looks outdated and childish

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to pin notes at the top of a folder
  • Implement iCloud sync between devices
  • Introduce more text formatting options (bold, italics, underline, etc.)
  • Allow changing folder colors

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Notes, Notepad & Memo

One-time10
  • Loyalty Reward 2Free
  • Loyalty Reward 1Free
  • Loyalty Reward 3Free
Show 7 more
  • Loyalty Reward 7Free
  • Loyalty Reward 9Free
  • Loyalty Reward 8Free
  • Loyalty Reward 10Free
  • Loyalty Reward 4Free
  • Loyalty Reward 6Free
  • Go Premium$4.99
3 purchases

Simple Notes

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Service$39.99

Questions

Is Notes, Notepad & Memo free?
Notes, Notepad & Memo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Notes free?
Simple Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notes, Notepad & Memo or Simple Notes?
Simple Notes is rated higher. Notes, Notepad & Memo averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Simple Notes averages 4.7 from 791 ratings.
Do Notes, Notepad & Memo or Simple Notes have ads?
Simple Notes shows ads; Notes, Notepad & Memo does not.
Which is updated more often, Notes, Notepad & Memo or Simple Notes?
Notes, Notepad & Memo ships an update every 5 weeks, and Simple Notes every 3 months. Most recently, Notes, Notepad & Memo was updated on October 12, 2026 and Simple Notes on October 11, 2026.

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